Sideshow
by paynesgrey
Summary: Lyle takes a sudden interest in Claire's freaky ability. Claire Bennet, Lyle Bennet Genfic. Season 2. ONE-SHOT.


AN: Written for "#10. Aichmophobia; Fear of Sharp Objects" for my 13_fears Claire Bennet claim on Livejournal. This is a one-shot.

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><p><span>Sideshow<span>

"Is it true?"

Claire turned around and faced her brother Lyle. She watched him swallow uncomfortably but meet her eyes with genuine intrigue. She quirked him a smile.

"You're going to have to be more specific," Claire said placidly, holding back on how amusing Lyle's reaction was. Usually, her brother stayed away from her and her "freak" powers, and well, he stayed away from her altogether, but something definitely had piqued his interest after West had left that afternoon. He must have been eavesdropping again.

Or Claire didn't notice him. Again. Sometimes that happened with Lyle.

Lyle pursed his lips and tilted his head, giving her an impatient look. "You can cut off your limbs and they grow back? That this is one of your new freak powers?"

"Why do you care?" She didn't like his tone. She narrowed her eyes at him like a challenge.

Lyle's rudeness dissipated. The color seemed to drain from his face, but Claire supposed he was trying to appear strong.

"I want to see," he said in a heavy breath.

Claire's brow rose slightly. "Really?" She picked up the scissors at her side. She'd been cutting out pictures for a school project. She grinned at him. "Are you sure?"

Lyle stalked around the couch and found a seat on the far end away from Claire. He turned to his sister and looked down at the scissors in her hand. He swallowed uncomfortably again.

"Lyle, you're freaking me out. Why do you want to see this so badly?"

"Because," he said quickly, but then words failed him. He cleared his throat and finally spoke, "I don't believe it."

"Lyle, you've seen me fall from high places and put my bones back together. Isn't that proof enough?" she asked him. She seriously was getting worried about him. When did her annoying little brother suddenly gain interest in her abilities? If anything he'd been afraid of them, and now he was looking at the scissors like she was going to cut off _his_ toe instead. And of course, that was just _silly_.

He didn't say anything just stared at her like a kid at the carnival looking at a special trick.

"Don't worry; the scissors are only for me," she said, joking a little. Lyle stared, unable to blink. He watched as she moved the scissors to her little toe and opened the blades around it.

"Are you afraid of the scissors or the blood?" she asked him.

"Are you going to do it?" he asked impatiently, startling Claire.

"You better not have a hidden camera somewhere. Dad will be pissed," Claire said, and Lyle shook his head.

Then, she snapped the sheers shut, and Lyle watched as blood spurt and the toe tumbled to the floor. His face was as white as snow, and his eyes bugged as he saw the bone sticking out of the wound. Claire didn't even make a peep of pain, and suddenly within moments, new flesh began growing and wrapping around bone as it molded into a newly formed toe. It was like the previous toe had never been disturbed.

"Whoa!" Lyle said.

"Is that all you can say? I hope you're happy now. Hey, Mr. Muggles don't eat that!" Claire said, while picking up the old toe before the dog got it.

"Ew," Lyle said, and Claire shot him an annoyed look.

"Satisfied? I can grow back my limbs," Claire said in exasperation, and Lyle nodded. Quickly, he was bored with her, turned on the TV, and acted like nothing unusual had just happened between them. He stopped the channel at a Horror film with cheesy gore effects and laughed. Claire sighed, cleaning up the mess.

"Hey," he said, after a few minutes into the movie. Claire continued her homework, and she was surprised he bothered to acknowledge her presence again so quickly. He turned and met her eyes. "Do you think your head would grow back if we cut it off?" Claire noticed amusement in his eyes.

She waved the scissors threateningly at him as his grin quickly faded. "Don't push it, dork."

Lyle didn't press the issue again. Soon after that, things went back to normal in the Bennet family. Well, more or less normal in Lyle's case.

END


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